The UK's low-skilled jobs depend on EU labour

The UK has unveiled a new points-based immigration system which will close the door on non-English speakers and unskilled workers. After the country's Brexit vote, the government wanted to take back "full control" of its borders but many industry leaders feel the plan will end in disaster. Factories, warehouses, pubs and restaurants will no longer be able to rely on cheap EU labour and many could close with substantial job losses.

So how dependent are the UK's low-skilled jobs on cheap EU labour? According to data from the Migrant Observatory reported by The Guardian, some 21 percent of all low-skilled factory and construction workers in the UK came from EU countries in 2017. Among factory and machine operators, the share is also significant at 17 percent.